"And Italian?"

"Yes."

"And play the harpsichord?"

"Yes."

"Then, madam, I am a half-educated boor compared with you, for I know
none of these things. But though I do not know the French or Italian for
marry-me-quick, if you will get it out of your pocket, I'll show you the
Staffordshire for half of it."

We marched on gaily for another quarter of an hour, eating the sweet
morsel. Then I said, "Even an old traveller and campaigner like you will
be glad to learn that our inn is at hand."

"Very glad, but I see no signs of it."

"Well, no," said I, "it's not exactly an inn, but just a plain barn. You
shall sleep soft and safe and warm, though, and even if we had money and
an inn was at hand, it would be foolish to go there. Your case is hard,
madam, and I wish I could offer you better quarters."

Under the shelter of a round knoll clumped with pines, lay an ancient
farmhouse. We were approaching it from the front, and its sheds and barns
were at the rear. We therefore turned into the field and fetched a
circuit, and soon stood at the gate leading into the farmyard. No one
stirred, not even a dog barked, as I softly opened the gate and crept,
followed by Mistress Waynflete, to the nearest building. I pushed open the